Newastle promotion confirmed

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton waves to the fans as promotion is confirmed

Newcastle found redemption last night as they finally buried the nightmare of last season’s relegation. [>

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Chris Hughton’s revitalised side wiped away the bitter memories of that ­humiliating campaign, guaranteeing their Premier League return 316 days after ­tamely surrendering it at Villa Park. [>

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Villains back then, the players were cheered like heroes after a campaign in which they have never wavered in their ­determination to ensure top-flight football is back at St James’s Park in August. [>

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It hardly mattered that Richard Cresswell headed Sheffield United into a shock 21st-minute lead – and even Peter Lovenkrands’ equalising penalty just before half-time and Kevin Nolan’s stunning second-half winner proved a sideshow. [>

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For Newcastle are back where they ­believe they belong. From Purgatory to the Promised Land in double-quick time. [>

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When Newcastle last won promotion to the Premier League under Kevin Keegan in 1993, they celebrated with a 7-1 thrashing of Leicester, having raced into a six-goal lead at half-time. [>

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It was nowhere near as dramatic last night. Indeed, with Nottingham Forest ­being held to a goalless draw by Cardiff earlier in the night, the moment promotion became reality was ­almost anti-climactic. [>

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And if joy was the overriding emotion in the stands, a collective sigh of relief swept down too. [>

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Their was no air of triumphalism, but more a feeling that by regaining their top-flight status at the first attempt Newcastle had righted a terrible wrong. [>

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And while Keegan responded to the ­return of Premier League football to ­Tyneside by boldly telling Sir Alex ­Ferguson’s Manchester United, ‘We’re out to catch you’, there were no such declarations from Hughton. [>

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Unlike Keegan and Alan Shearer, the man he succeeded almost by ­accident in the hot-seat, the Toon Army will never grant Hughton ­messianic status. [>

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However, make no mistake about it, this quietly-spoken, understated former Irish international is a fully-fledged Geordie saviour. [>

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Eleven months ago, his second stint as caretaker boss was greeted with apathy and even dread by a Toon Army still in mourning at the club’s relegation and owner Mike Ashley’s decision not to re-employ Shearer. [>

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The talk back then was of ­Newcastle ‘doing a Leeds’ and when they crashed to a humiliating 6-1 pre-­season defeat at the hands of Leyton Orient few would have bet against another disastrous campaign. [>

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Shrewdly – some would even say miraculously, considering the instability off the pitch and the hostility towards Ashley’s regime – Hughton plotted a course which has ­ultimately led to Newcastle clinching ­promotion with six games remaining. [>

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Of course, the champagne’s been on ice since last Monday’s win over Nottingham Forest, which opened up a 13-point gap between the leaders and third place. [>

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And when the Geordies beat doomed Peterborough two days ago, only the mathematicians kept the corks unpopped. Having rung the changes on ­Saturday, Hughton relied on those who have done most to make this such a ­memorable season. [>

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Hughton has proved an astute judge in the transfer market and his ­January swoop for Wayne Routledge injected much-needed pace into the side. [>

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The former Spurs flyer almost broke the deadlock on 13 minutes, ­firing narrowly over the top after latching on to Nolan’s pass. [>

But defensively Newcastle were a far cry from the side which had kept a record-breaking 20 clean sheets, [>

Slack marking had presented ­Darius Henderson with a free header, while Cresswell hooked a shot just off target. [>

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The visitors took the lead on 21 minutes when Cresswell beat ­Fabricio Coloccini to James Harper’s corner, guiding a near-post header into the net that just brushed ­Henderson on the way in. If this ­setback provided a reminder that much work is required for Newcastle to ­compete at the higher level, there were still flashes to remind us why they have dominated this division. [>

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Long-striding Jonas Gutierrez raced 60 yards, only to find no-one on the end of his telling cross, while Routledge flashed a ­piledriver ­agonisingly wide. [>

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Andy Carroll bulleted a soaring header inches over before ­Lovenkrands brought the best out of Steve Simonsen. [>

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Home specialist Lovenkrands – 14 of his 15 goals have been at St James’s – sent Simonsen the wrong way from the spot after Chris Morgan had fouled Carroll. [>

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Blades assistant, and ex-Toon ­midfielder, Gary Speed was sent to the stands for arguing too forcibly with the fourth official, but most of the crowd were too busy singing ­promotion songs to notice. [>

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However, Nolan made everyone stand up and take notice with a ­spectacular 73rd-minute winner. [>

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After Gutierrez had hit the inside of the post, the former Bolton star fired the Toon ahead with the most spectacular goal that St James’s Park has seen this season. [>

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Danny Simpson’s lob into the box was headed on by Lovenkrands and Nolan pounced with a stunning ­scissor-kick to wrap up Newcastle eighth successive home win. [>